ROSE Hill Junior Youth Club is set to expand after seeing its attendance numbers treble in a year.

The popular group has been meeting every Thursday during term time at Rose Hill Community Centre in The Oval but from September an extra session will be run to accommodate the growing membership.

In the past year, the group has grown from about 13 children aged six to 11 every week to about 40 and it now has more than 60 registered members.

Youth worker Ali Hall, who leads the group, said: “Because it has got so big we decided to split it over two sessions a week.

“We are going to start having an older session and a younger session. It has gone really well this year.”

Ms Hall says increasing the number of activities on offer has caused the membership to grow.

She said: “We have changed it so it is more play-based so that kids can do their own things.

“We are doing more outdoor sports as well.”

Fran Gardner, Rose Hill community worker, said: “The success of the club really shows how Lottery funding does change lives and gives opportunities to all.

“With more than 60 children now registered at the club the funding has also highlighted the enormous need on Rose Hill for creative play for kids.

“Other funders have noted the success of the club and more money has been secured from both the Youth Ambition fund and the Social Inclusion fund.

“However, in order to continue to run two sessions each week a further £8,000 needs to be secured for 2014.”

A total of £10,000 a year is allocated in the estate’s Big Lottery Fund budget to run the club, which was launched in its current form in March 2011.

It has stopped during the summer holidays, but some of the club’s members have been going on outdoor trips every Thursday.

These have been funded by £3,000 from the city council’s Youth Ambition Fund.

Volunteers are needed to help support the club when it starts up again in September.

Ms Hall said: “It enables us to open up to more kids.

“The better the range of people, the more there is for the kids to do.

“Volunteers could run different projects such as art.”

The new sessions will be held every Wednesday and Thursday during term time at Rose Hill Community Centre in The Oval from September.

There could be one group for ages six to eight and a second group for ages nine to 11.

A start date is yet to be confirmed.

  • For more information or to volunteer, contact Ali Hall by emailing ali.hall@greensquare.com or telephone 07768 600935.